Jordan Vertue has only just begun racing this season in a 50-metre pool and she's already eclipsed four Prince George Barracudas Swim club records.
She broke them all on the weekend at the Barracudas Dental Moose Meet at the Aquatic Centre, where Vertue offered a glimpse of even better things to come for the 10-year-old as she discovers her true potential in the pool.
Two of the records she shattered in the 10-and-under age category had stood for 21 years. set by Nicole Schnapp. Vertue was clocked at 1:21.14 in the 100 backstroke, nearly two seconds quicker than Schnapp's 1995 time of 1:23.56. Then on Sunday in the 200 individual medley, Vertue's final event, she posted a time of 2:54.044 as compared to Schnapp's 2:55.98, also recorded in 1995.
Vertue completed the 50 backstroke in 36.53, wiping out Kirsty Teit's 1998 record of 37.65, and also bettered Danica Ludlow's 2007 record of 1:22.73 in the 100 butterfly, posting a time of 1:19.08.
She saved her best for last in one of her favorite events, the 200 IM, which combines the four swimming strokes butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle.
"I'm getting really good at all my strokes and it's becoming easier to do it now that I'm practicing really hard," said Vertue. "I've been working on my fly and it's fun. I'm trying my best to go to (the triple-A provincial championships), so I'm working really hard.
"I really need to work on my breaststroke for my IM times to get better. When I'm swimming I see the kids pass me in my breaststroke, but I'm doing way better in breaststroke, so I'm really happy."
Vertue, a Grade 4 student at Hart Highlands elementary school, joined the Barracudas a year ago, when her family moved to the city from Smithers. She started swimming with the Bulkley Valley Otters when she was seven.
"I'm really enjoying swimming, it's pretty amazing swimming with some of the best swimmers in Canada," she said.
"I'm just awestruck that Hannah (Esopenko) and Avery (Movold) got to go to the Olympic trials.
"When I come to swimming and I'm angry about something, all of that just comes off. It's really amazing. My teammates, especially, they help."
A month ago, Vertue was a first-time qualifier for the provincial short course championships, held in Victoria. She made finals in the 100 butterfly while she was still a nine-year-old competing against 11- and 12-year-olds.
"She's a very talented girl, very focused, never misses any practices, she's very coachable and she's always asking questions about what she needs to improve," said Barracudas head coach Jerzy Partyka. "Technically she is swimming well in every stroke. There is a very good future for her, she will be another Barracuda star. She has a very nice family, very supportive. Her younger sister, Chloe, is as good as her and she's only eight years old."
While Chloe didn't break any club records, she set personal bests in all her races at the meet.
Ten-year-old Barracuda Matthew Rice also had a record-setting weekend in the pool, surpassing two club marks for 10-and-under boys. He swam the 100m breaststroke in 1:38.28, topping the former record of Torin Kurhinen (1:40.42) set in 2002. In the 50m breaststroke, the lanky Rice beat Mackenzie Lewington's club-best time set in 2013.
"I'm really happy because I was so close before and just getting them is so fun," said Rice. "Most of the time I go really fast off the start, with the tiniest bit of glide, and then just totally empty myself in the last 50. (Being tall for his age) is pretty helpful."
In his first 10 races of the meet, all his times were personal bests.
Rice got into swimming 4 1/2 years ago at the suggestion of his mom Kathy, a former Barracuda racer who competed under her maiden name Horvath. He now trains six times per week and loves his routine at the pool.
"You just have to go as fast as you can, even in practices, and that way when races come along you're ready to do them," said Rice, who attends Grade 5 French immersion classes at Lac des Bois elementary school.
Rice was trying Sunday to achieve one more provincial triple-A time standard and he made it, with a time of 3:04.56 in the 200 backstroke. His record-setting 50 and 100 breaststroke times were under the triple-A cutoff, which means Rice is now qualified for the long course provincial championships in Victoria in July. Barracudas swimmer Tommy Brown, 10, posted double-A times in 50 fly and 100 fly to qualify for provincials for the first time.
The Barracudas' next meet is in June in Kamloops.
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